THRILLING ADVENTURES IN AFRICA. 17? 



Having satisfied himself of the exisience of a promising field 

 for missionary effort, he returned to the Kuruman station, rested 

 there for three months, and then took up his (juarters in the Eak- 

 wain country itself, at the present Litubaruba, at that time known 

 as Lepelole. 



r3etermined to neglect nothing which could in any way proniole 

 his success with the natives, Livingstone now cut himself off from 

 all intercourse with Ein-opeans for six months, devoting himself 

 to acquiring an insight into the habits, ways of thinking, laws, and 

 language of the Bechuanas, and in laying the foundations of a settle- 

 ment by making a canal for irrigation purposes from a river near by. 



A TIRESOME JOURNEY ON FOOT. 



These preliminaries being well advanced, our hero paid a visit 

 to the Bakaa, Bamangwato, and the Makalaka. The greater part 

 of this trip was performed on foot, the draught oxen being ill, and 

 some of the natives forming the escort observed in Livingstone's 

 hearing, not knowing that he understood them — "He is not strong; 

 he is quite slim, and only seems stout because he puts himself into 

 those bags [trousers] ; he will break down." Stung by these dero- 

 gatory remarks on his appearance, Livingstone revenged himself by 

 keeping the whole party at highest speed for several days, and w^as 

 rewarded later by hearing them speak no more disrespectfully of his 

 pedestrian powers. 



Having, without knowing it, approached to within ten days' 

 journey of Lake N'gami, afterwards discovered by him, our liero 

 went back to Kuruman to bring his luggage to the site of his pro- 

 posed settlement, but before he could do so, came the disappointing 

 news that the Bakwains, with whom he had become friendly, had 

 l)een driven from Lepelole by the Baralongs, rendering it impossible 

 for him to carr)^ out his original plan. 



With the courage and energy which distinguished him from 

 the first, Livingstone at once set about looking for some other site, 

 and after a journey to Bamangwato, to restore to chiei Sekomi 

 several of his people who had come down with him to the Kuruman, 

 and for whose safety he felt responsible, he selected the beautiful 



H B. a— 12 



